Expanding a social network by the action of a single user

ABSTRACT

Techniques for creating a social network are provided. Private relationships that are established (e.g., in the context of instant messaging) may become public by the action of a single user. Each user determines whether they want to be “social” to (or discoverable by) friends of the user&#39;s friends. For example, user A is a friend of (i.e., has established a relationship with) user B and user B is a friend of user C, but user A and user C are not friends of each other (i.e., user A and user C have not established a relationship with each other). If user C unilaterally takes an action, then user A is able to see that user C is a friend of user B. User A may then take further actions to attempt to establish a relationship with user C or otherwise contact user C.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS; BENEFIT CLAIM

This application claims the benefit as a Divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/696,058, filed Apr. 3, 2007 the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, under 35 U.S.C. §120. The applicant(s) hereby rescind any disclaimer of claim scope in the parent application(s) or the prosecution history thereof and advise the USPTO that the claims in this application may be broader than any claim in the parent application.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to social networking and, more particularly, to expanding a social network by the action of a single user.

BACKGROUND

Online social networks are becoming increasingly particular. An online social network (hereinafter “social networks”) is network in which users can browse profiles of their established “friends”, friends of those friends, and so forth. However, social networks such as MySpace, Yahoo! 360, and Facebook do not leverage existing relationships that users have already established using their respective instant messaging clients. Social networks often require users to import, mass add, specify permissions, and wait for approval from each friend. Thus, the process for a user to get started in a social network is relatively long and cumbersome even though the user may already be associated with a messenger list (outside of the social network) that is rich with contact information.

Relationships on a social network are public, while relationships that are established using an instant messaging client are private. An instant messaging client does not automatically expose those private relationships. Furthermore, an instant messaging client should not automatically expose those private relationships because some contacts of a particular user may wish to remain unknown to most, if not all, users other than the particular user.

Based on the foregoing, there is a need to create a social network that leverages existing private relationships (e.g., in an instant messaging client) without the overhead of massive permissioning, i.e., allowing certain users certain rights to see content.

The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which:

FIGS. 1A-B are diagrams that illustrate how one user becoming “social” affects the ability of other users to view more users, according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 2A-C are diagrams that illustrate example user interfaces that show how “social” or non-social friends of a particular user appear to other friends of the particular user, according to embodiments of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a computer system on which embodiments of the invention may be implemented.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. For example, although embodiments of the invention are described in the instant messaging context, other contexts are also applicable, such as existing social networks. Furthermore, embodiments of the invention are not limited to any particular platform. For example, the network may be a mobile phone network where each mobile phone of a user includes a contact list. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention.

General Overview

Techniques for creating and maintaining a social network are provided. Private relationships that are established (e.g., in the context of instant messaging) may become public by the action of a single user. For example, user A is a “friend” of user B and user B is a friend of user C, but user A and user C are not friends of each other (i.e., user A has not established a relationship with user C). If user C unilaterally takes an action, then user A is able to see that user C is a friend of user B. User A may then take further actions to attempt to establish a first-hand relationship with user C or otherwise communicate with user C.

Becoming Social

A user is “social” if the user is viewable by a friend of a friend of the user. For example, user A is a friend of user B and user B is a friend of user C, but user A is not a friend of user C. If user C is social, then user A is able to see user C as a friend of user B. In other words, user A can see that user B and user C have established a relationship even though user A and user C have not established a relationship.

In an embodiment, a first user “sees” a second user (e.g., in an instant messaging application) if the first user is able to view contact information of the second user. Contact information may include, but is not limited to, an instant messaging identifier that is used to contact the corresponding user, an email address of the user, a phone number of the user, a webpage of the user, or any combination thereof.

In an embodiment, given the situation above where user A is a friend of user B, user B is a friend of user C, and user C is social, the contact information of user C is sent to user A. Alternatively, if user C is not social, then the contact information of user C is not automatically sent to user A.

In an embodiment, a user takes one or more actions to become “social” without requiring any actions from other users. For example, an action to become social may be signing in to an instant messaging client (or a social networking website, such as MySpace) that includes the user's contact list. When a user is signed in to an instant messaging client or a social networking website, the user is said to be “online.” Alternatively, the action may be selecting a “social” button or option in an instant messaging client or a social networking webpage of the user. The one or more actions represent a voluntary permission for other people in the network of users to see relationships that others have with that user. The one or more actions make the user's relationships with other users visible to the network.

In a related embodiment, if a user has selected a “social” button or option, then the user is always social, regardless of whether the user is currently online. Alternatively, in another embodiment, a user is only social after the user has selected the “social” button or option and is also currently online.

In a different embodiment, a user is by default social and must take one or more actions to become “unsocial.” For example, the action may be selecting an “unsocial” button or option in an instant messaging client.

Establishing a Relationship

As used hereinafter, a “friend” or “contact” of a particular user is a user that has established a relationship with the particular user. The terms “friend” and “contact” are used interchangeably and carry the same meaning. Relationships may be established in multiple ways. Typically, establishing a relationship between two users requires each user to perform one or more actions on separate machines. For example, user A determines a user identifier for user B. User A uses an instant messaging client to send a request to user B. The request seeks permission from user B for user A to add user B to user A's contact list that is managed by the instant messaging client. User B either accepts or declines the request. If user B accepts the request, then user B is added to user A's contact list and, optionally, user A is added to user B's contact list. In the mobile phone context, a relationship is established when user A has user B as a contact in user A's contact list (and, optionally, vice versa).

Examples

FIGS. 1A-B are diagrams that illustrate how one user becoming social affects the ability of other users to view more users, according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1A illustrates that many relationships have been established. Each circle represents a user. Each line that connects two circles represents a relationship that has been established between the corresponding users. Each filled-in circle represents a user that is social (i.e., the user has taken one or more steps to become social). Each circle that is not filled in represents a user that is unsocial.

As user hereinafter, a “degree of separation” refers to how closely related a user is to another user. For example, users that are “friends” are one degree of separation away with respect to each other. Therefore, based on FIGS. 1A-B, user B is one degree of separation away from user A. User C is two degrees of separation away from user A. Therefore, each link or relationship represents one degree of separation. For example, if two users are separated by five links, then the two users are five degrees of separation away from each other.

In some network configurations, there may be multiple paths between two users. A “path” is a set of intermediate users and relationships that connect two users. In the context of FIGS. 1A-B, a path is set of circles and links that connect two circles. For example, there may be two different set of links that connect two users. Depending on the different paths (i.e., which intermediate users are social), one of the users may not be able to see the other user through one of the paths but may be able to see the other user through a different path.

In a first embodiment, a particular social user is able to see (in addition to those with whom the particular user has established a relationship) all other social users that (a) are two or more degrees of separation away from the particular user and (b) are connected to the particular social user through only social users. (References to a “first” and “second” embodiment are used to assist in understanding the difference between only two particular embodiments of the invention. Such references do not indicate that one embodiment is more important than the other, nor that the invention is limited to these two embodiments.) For example, user A is able to see user C because users B and C are both social. However, user A cannot see user D, even though user D is social, because there is not a social connection between users A and D (due to user E being unsocial).

In a second embodiment, even though a particular user is not social, a friend of the particular user is able to see any social friends of the particular user. For example, user C can see that user E and user D are friends even though user E is not social. Also, not only can user D see user C, but user D can also see users B and A. Furthermore, user E can see user G (through user F), and user F can see users A, B, C, and D (through user E).

FIG. 1B illustrates what effect a single user may have in a network of users when that user becomes social. In FIG. 1B, user E becomes social.

As is described above with reference to the first embodiment, a particular social user is able to see all other social users that are two or more degrees of separation away from the particular user and are connected to the particular social user through only social users. As a result of user E becoming social, not only can users A and B now see user E, but all of user B's friends (including users A and C) can see user D. Also, the unsocial friends of user E (including user F) are now able to see users A, B, C, and D.

As is described above with reference to the second embodiment, a friend of a particular user is able to see the particular user and any social friends of the particular user even though the particular user is not social. As a result of user E becoming social, user G is now able to see users A, B, C, D, and E.

Example User Interfaces

FIGS. 2A-C are diagrams that illustrate example user interfaces that show how social or unsocial friends of a particular user appear to other friends of the particular user, according to an embodiment of the invention. FIGS. 2A-C each comprise social options 200, a messenger list 202, and an optional legend 204. Social options 200 illustrate at least two possible ways to become social—either through signing in or through selecting a menu option. Messenger list 202 includes all (or a subset) of the contacts of the user of message list 202. The contacts in messenger list 202 may be divided into categories of the user's choosing, such as “Family”, “Friends”, “Work”, etc. Legend 206 illustrates how a social contact appears in messenger list 202 and how an unsocial contact appears in messenger list 202. The user of messenger list 202 is referred to hereinafter, for the purposes of FIGS. 2A-C, as the “primary user.”

FIG. 2A illustrates the primary user's selection of an icon (that represents a user 206) in messenger list 202. According to legend 204, user 206 is a social friend. As a result of the selection, a window 208 is generated. Window 208 includes a text box 210 for sending text messages to user 206, and a history box 212 that shows previous messages between the primary user and user 206. Window 208 may also provide options to send, to user 206, data that is not simple text, such as audio and video files.

Window 208 also includes icons that represent the social friends of user 206. Only social friends of user 206 are listed (i.e., represented by one or more icons). Thus, user 206 may have many unsocial friends that are not listed. Therefore, the primary user is able to see the social friends of user 206 but not the unsocial friends of user 206.

If the primary user selects an icon that represents one of the social friends of user 206, then a new window may be displayed that is similar to window 208 except that any social friends of the selected user are listed instead of the social friends of user 206. The primary user is then able to initiate a communication with that selected user, such as a request to establish a relationship followed by any instant communication, such as text, audio, or video.

FIG. 2B illustrates the selection of a different icon (that represents a user 216) in messenger list 202. According to legend 204, user 216 is an unsocial friend. In response to selecting the different icon, a window 218 is displayed that is similar to window 208 except that no friends or contacts of user 216 are displayed. If user 216 did have social contacts when the icon representing user 216 was selected, then FIG. 2B illustrates the first embodiment described above, which requires that a particular user be social in order for a friend of the particular user to see social friends of the particular user.

FIG. 2C also illustrates the selection of the icon, that represents user 216, in messenger list 202, except according to the second embodiment described above. In response to selecting the icon, a window 228 is displayed that is similar to window 218 except that social friends of user 216 are displayed. Similar to the situation in FIG. 2A, only social friends of user 216 are listed. Any unsocial friends of user 216 are not listed.

Expanded Social Network

Based on the foregoing, by the action of a single user, a particular user may be able to see many other users that the particular user was not able to previously see without the action of that single user. In an embodiment, the particular user is only able to see social friends of a friend that are currently signed in (i.e., online).

In a related embodiment, the particular user is able to see all social friends of a friend, regardless of whether those social friends are online. In this embodiment, mechanisms may be used to distinguish contacts that are currently online and those that are currently offline. For example, in Yahoo! Messenger™, an online contact is associated with a yellow “smiley” face, whereas an offline contact is associated with a gray “sleeping” face.

Per-Contact Settings

According to an embodiment of the invention, a user sets one or more viewability settings associated with individual contacts of the user. For example, a user may want to appear social to family members of the user and to contacts of the family members, but not to the user's psychiatrist and contacts of the user's psychiatrist. Therefore, the user sets a value, of an attribute or variable associated with the user's psychiatrist, that indicates that the user is unsocial with respect to the user's psychiatrist. As a result, other contacts of the user are unable to see that the psychiatrist is a contact of the user. Furthermore, contacts of the psychiatrist are unable to see the user as a contact of the psychiatrist.

In a related embodiment, the user is by default unsocial with respect to each contact except for those contacts for which the user sets a value, of an attribute or variable associated with the respective contacts, that indicates that the user is social with respect to those contacts.

Updating an Existing Private Network of Instant Messaging Clients

According to an embodiment of the invention, a set of instant messaging clients are updated based on an update package that includes executable code. Executing the executable code updates the corresponding instant messaging client. Alternatively, the user may download new software that includes a new instant messaging client, but which uses the contact list of a previous version of the instant messaging client. The new instant messaging client is said to be an updated instant messaging client.

The updated instant messaging client provides the ability for the user of the updated instant messaging client to be social (as described above) and, optionally, to modify the user's viewability with respect to individual contacts.

Example Benefits

According to various embodiments described herein, a user can potentially control his/her privacy settings to limit who can discover the user. One user action may expose all of the user's contacts that have also taken an action to be social (i.e., indicating that they do not mind being discovered).

Beneficially, the foregoing embodiments may create a social network built off of an existing instant messaging contact list very quickly without requiring permissioning. Currently, there are hundreds of millions of users of instant messaging clients. Such a network of users is inherently private. Using techniques described herein, the contact information of each of those users may be leveraged to create a vast network that is public, at least with respect to those users who want to be discoverable to other users (by becoming social) who are more than one degree of separation away. In contrast, as explained above, current social networks require a user to add, to those social networks, the contacts (in the instant messaging client) of the user all over again or to perform some import operation.

Furthermore, current social networks do not emphasize showing lists of online users. Thus, the interactions are limited to asynchronous modes of communication like email or comments. In other words, such networks emphasize public relationships, not presence.

In contrast, a real time social network as disclosed herein encourages real time interaction. When a user looks at friends in a real-time social network, the user knows that if s/he sends another user an instant message saying “hello,” the other user will receive the instant message and both users are able to have a real-time chat (using text, audio, and/or video). Real time interactions are not limited to chat but may include collaborative activities such as whiteboarding or even multiplayer games.

Hardware Overview

FIG. 3 is a block diagram that illustrates a computer system 300 upon which an embodiment of the invention may be implemented. Computer system 300 includes a bus 302 or other communication mechanism for communicating information, and a processor 304 coupled with bus 302 for processing information. Computer system 300 also includes a main memory 306, such as a random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device, coupled to bus 302 for storing information and instructions to be executed by processor 304. Main memory 306 also may be used for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of instructions to be executed by processor 304. Computer system 300 further includes a read only memory (ROM) 308 or other static storage device coupled to bus 302 for storing static information and instructions for processor 304. A storage device 310, such as a magnetic disk or optical disk, is provided and coupled to bus 302 for storing information and instructions.

Computer system 300 may be coupled via bus 302 to a display 312, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), for displaying information to a computer user. An input device 314, including alphanumeric and other keys, is coupled to bus 302 for communicating information and command selections to processor 304. Another type of user input device is cursor control 316, such as a mouse, a trackball, or cursor direction keys for communicating direction information and command selections to processor 304 and for controlling cursor movement on display 312. This input device typically has two degrees of freedom in two axes, a first axis (e.g., x) and a second axis (e.g., y), that allows the device to specify positions in a plane.

The invention is related to the use of computer system 300 for implementing the techniques described herein. According to one embodiment of the invention, those techniques are performed by computer system 300 in response to processor 304 executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in main memory 306. Such instructions may be read into main memory 306 from another machine-readable medium, such as storage device 310. Execution of the sequences of instructions contained in main memory 306 causes processor 304 to perform the process steps described herein. In alternative embodiments, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to implement the invention. Thus, embodiments of the invention are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software.

The term “machine-readable medium” as used herein refers to any medium that participates in providing data that causes a machine to operation in a specific fashion. In an embodiment implemented using computer system 300, various machine-readable media are involved, for example, in providing instructions to processor 304 for execution. Such a medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media includes, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as storage device 310. Volatile media includes dynamic memory, such as main memory 306. Transmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise bus 302. Transmission media can also take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during radio-wave and infra-red data communications. All such media must be tangible to enable the instructions carried by the media to be detected by a physical mechanism that reads the instructions into a machine.

Common forms of machine-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, or any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, any other optical medium, punchcards, papertape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave as described hereinafter, or any other medium from which a computer can read.

Various forms of machine-readable media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to processor 304 for execution. For example, the instructions may initially be carried on a magnetic disk of a remote computer. The remote computer can load the instructions into its dynamic memory and send the instructions over a telephone line using a modem. A modem local to computer system 300 can receive the data on the telephone line and use an infra-red transmitter to convert the data to an infra-red signal. An infra-red detector can receive the data carried in the infra-red signal and appropriate circuitry can place the data on bus 302. Bus 302 carries the data to main memory 306, from which processor 304 retrieves and executes the instructions. The instructions received by main memory 306 may optionally be stored on storage device 310 either before or after execution by processor 304.

Computer system 300 also includes a communication interface 318 coupled to bus 302. Communication interface 318 provides a two-way data communication coupling to a network link 320 that is connected to a local network 322. For example, communication interface 318 may be an integrated services digital network (ISDN) card or a modem to provide a data communication connection to a corresponding type of telephone line. As another example, communication interface 318 may be a local area network (LAN) card to provide a data communication connection to a compatible LAN. Wireless links may also be implemented. In any such implementation, communication interface 318 sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams representing various types of information.

Network link 320 typically provides data communication through one or more networks to other data devices. For example, network link 320 may provide a connection through local network 322 to a host computer 324 or to data equipment operated by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) 326. ISP 326 in turn provides data communication services through the world wide packet data communication network now commonly referred to as the “Internet” 328. Local network 322 and Internet 328 both use electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams. The signals through the various networks and the signals on network link 320 and through communication interface 318, which carry the digital data to and from computer system 300, are exemplary forms of carrier waves transporting the information.

Computer system 300 can send messages and receive data, including program code, through the network(s), network link 320 and communication interface 318. In the Internet example, a server 330 might transmit a requested code for an application program through Internet 328, ISP 326, local network 322 and communication interface 318.

The received code may be executed by processor 304 as it is received, and/or stored in storage device 310, or other non-volatile storage for later execution. In this manner, computer system 300 may obtain application code in the form of a carrier wave.

In the foregoing specification, embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to numerous specific details that may vary from implementation to implementation. Thus, the sole and exclusive indicator of what is the invention, and is intended by the applicants to be the invention, is the set of claims that issue from this application, in the specific form in which such claims issue, including any subsequent correction. Any definitions expressly set forth herein for terms contained in such claims shall govern the meaning of such terms as used in the claims. Hence, no limitation, element, property, feature, advantage or attribute that is not expressly recited in a claim should limit the scope of such claim in any way. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: using an online application, of instant messaging or social networking, executing on one or more computing devices: receiving, over a network at the one or more computing devices, input from a first user, wherein the first user is associated with a list of contacts that includes an identifier used to contact a second user; in response to receiving, over the network at the one or more computing devices, the input from the first user, setting an attribute value, of the online application, that indicates that an identifier used to contact the first user is able to be viewed by contacts of the second user without any input from the second user, wherein the contacts of the second user include a third user; and in response to an action performed by the third user on a user interface of the online application and without any input from the second user, making the identifier used to contact the first user available to the third user on the user interface of the online application.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user, the second user and the third user are users of the online application.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein making the identifier used to contact the first user available to the third user comprises an instant messaging client of the first user sending, to an instant messaging client of the third user, the identifier used to contact the first user.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the action performed by the third user includes the third user selecting, in a contact list of the third user, an icon that represents the second user.
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining which users have an online status and which users have an offline status and wherein making the identifier used to contact the first user available to the third user is conditioned on the first user having an online status.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein making the identifier used to contact the first user available to the third user is conditioned on the second user having an online status.
 7. The method of claim 5, further comprising making status data of the first user available to the third user if the first user has an offline status.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the input from the first user includes one or more of signing in to a client application, selecting a menu option, or selecting a button.
 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a second input designating, by the first user, a subset of users and wherein making the identifier used to contact the first user available to the third user is conditioned on the second user being in the subset of users.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein after making the identifier used to contact the first user available to the third user, the third user sends a real-time communication to the first user.
 11. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions which, when processed by one or more processors, cause: using an online application, of instant messaging or social networking, executing on one or more computing devices: receiving, over a network at the one or more computing devices, input from a first user, wherein the first user is associated with a list of contacts that includes an identifier used to contact a second user; in response to receiving, over the network at the one or more computing devices, the input from the first user, setting an attribute value, of the online application, that indicates that an identifier used to contact the first user is able to be viewed by contacts of the second user without any input from the second user, wherein the contacts of the second user include a third user; and in response to an action performed by the third user on a user interface of the online application and without any input from the second user, making the identifier used to contact the first user available to the third user on the user interface of the online application.
 12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the first user, the second user and the third user are users of the online application.
 13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein making the identifier used to contact the first user available to the third user comprises an instant messaging client of the first user sending, to an instant messaging client of the third user, the identifier used to contact the first user.
 14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the action performed by the third user includes the third user selecting, in a contact list of the third user, an icon that represents the second user.
 15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when processed by one or more processors, further cause determining which users have an online status and which users have an offline status and wherein making the identifier used to contact the first user available to the third user is conditioned on the first user having an online status.
 16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein making the identifier used to contact the first user available to the third user is conditioned on the second user having an online status.
 17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when processed by one or more processors, further cause making status data of the first user available to the third user if the first user has an offline status.
 18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the input from the first user includes one or more of signing in to a client application, selecting a menu option, or selecting a button.
 19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when processed by one or more processors, further cause receiving a second input designating, by the first user, a subset of users and wherein making the identifier used to contact the first user available to the third user is conditioned on the second user being in the subset of users.
 20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein after making the identifier used to contact the first user available to the third user, the third user sends a real-time communication to the first user. 